Identity area
Reference code
AU NBAC S20
Title
Date(s)
- 1926 - 1929 (Creation)
Level of description
Serial
Extent and medium
Part of 1 box
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Labor Council was formed by six unions in 1871. Originally it was called the Trades and Labor Council because it covered the craft unions or unions of skilled workers as well as the newly emerging unions for bush labourers. In 1894, the Trades and Labor Council of Sydney became the Sydney District of Australasian Labour Federation, only to change names again six years later in 1900 to the Sydney Labor Council. In 1908, the name was changed to the Labor Council of New South Wales. In those early days the role of the Labor Council was to stimulate the growth of trade unions. During the first thirty years, the Labor Council was dominated by two major questions: how it could help influence government and what was the best means to settle industrial disputes. Post World War II, as a result of Labor Council initiatives, the state Labor government, legislated for the 40 hour week to apply to state awards. In the 1950s the Labor Council, with the ACTU, led a campaign for equal wages to be paid to women in the workforce.
Repository
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The Labor Council of New South Wales set up the Labor Information and Research Bureau in 1921 to provide data on working conditions and employers. The Labor Information and Research Bureau published 'The Labor Monthly' from 1926 to 1929, at which point it became the Pan-Pacific Worker. Issues held; Vol. 1 nos. 1-18 (1926-1927), vol. 2 nos. 1-12 (1928), vol. 3 no. 1 (January 1929).
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open access